i62 SPORT IN EUROPE 



as the grounds are as a rule less extensive, sportsmen tried to train 

 them for both purposes, but had good results in rare cases only, 

 French griffons and poodle pointers have answered better, but best of 

 all is the old German heavy close-haired dog crossed with English 

 pointer blood. The old dog was rather slow but very intelligent, and 

 the cross improved his staying powers, endurance, and scent. A well- 

 trained dog, such as is required by the German keeper and owner of a 

 small shooting, must point and retrieve alike. In summer he must act 

 as bloodhound on the trail of wounded roe, retrieve ducks in the water, 

 and act as a spaniel for woodcock and snipe. In September he must 

 take no notice whatever of hares, while two months later he must 

 hunt down all wounded hares and retrieve them without noticing 

 partridges. This is no tall story ; quantities of dogs do it, and all 

 well-trained ones should do it. The maximum bag of driven partridges 

 is 500 or 600 at Gross Strehlitz ; maximum over dogs 280 to four guns 

 at Kreisewitz (Count Pfeil), or 175 to one gun (Baron W. Alvensleben) 

 at Barby. 



Woodcock and snipe are much valued by reason of their scarce- 

 ness. They do not breed in the winter, and are shot during their 



migration from Turkey to Sweden and Russia in spring. 



Woodcock 11 Til 



, ^ . and on the return lourney m autumn. In the latter 



and Snipe. -^ ^ 



season they are shot over dogs, in the former when 

 on the wing. When cock and hen are seeking each other in the 

 evening twilight with low deep notes of love, somewhat resembling 

 the sound of a woodcutter's saw, flight shooting in open forest 

 glades, or strips of meadow, or pasture surrounded by bushes, is a 

 favourite pastime. The number of woodcock shot in Germany has 



